Redemption in Cocono
by Mightyenapup
Summary: Isaac has committed a crime. As a method of reform, he offers to be hooked up to a world inhabited by animals that can walk and talk. Looking to start over again, will Isaac be reformed, or be driven to further insanity by this strange world? Rated T.
1. The Plea

A/N: First Animal Crossing story for me. I haven't written a fanfic in a long time, but I have a good feeling about this one. ^^

Rated T for language, drug use, and violent themes. Just a little bit, but enough.

Chapter I: The Plea

The room was completely silent when the judge wasn't speaking. Isaac gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing visibly up and down.

"Mr. Pilgrim, I am sure you are aware of what charges have been made to you," the judge's accent was strongly Southern, and his voice was kind, almost understanding of the boy. Still, Isaac felt like a mouse before the man in the black robe. He would probably be just as afraid of the jury, but luckily this was a bench trial. "And the evidence is more than apparent..." He trailed off, clearly waiting for the juvenile to answer.

"Sir, uhm..." He tried to look at the man in his aged eyes, but could not. He instead spied on the immense painting behind him, the only decorative object in the surprisingly small room. A unique painting, starring Jesus in a purple robe, gazing peacefully at the viewer with open arms. That was no better. His eyes moved to the desk just below his hips, pretending to read some words on a piece of paper that he hoped didn't appear as blank as it was. He gulped again. "My lawyer advised me to plead guilty..." he hesitated, and gathered the confidence to look the judge in the face. "Look, I'm just a kid. I got scared, I wanted to take action, I wanted to feel safe..."

The judge held up an experienced hand. "You don't have to explain yourself, my boy. There's no jury here."

Isaac's lips pursed as he glanced at his lawyer, Mr. Rod, sitting beside him. He turned further, catching the eyes of his mother and father. They looked just as frightened as Isaac was. "Your Honor..." he turned back to the man behind the desk, staring at his barely-visible necktie. "I would like to plead guilty, as recommended."

No one in the room showed surprise. The lawyer put a hand on Isaac's back comfortingly. With the brunette boy feeling this overwhelmed, it was kind of like a reward.

"Well, that sure makes this process a lot easier," the judge remarked optimistically and tapped the gavel.

* * *

"My little boy..." Isaac's mother sobbed, holding her only child. Isaac would normally be annoyed. He was sixteen, he didn't need to be babied. Instead, he held her in return, eyes watering as he struggled to contain his own emotions. He tried to distract himself by examining the spotlessness of the hallway. Everything shined, a lone woman in a business suit walked at the far end of the hall, talking on a cell phone. Everything seemed strangely calm. Except of course for the family of three.

It was only one of several times this happened during the course of the trial. When it all first began it was the worst. The accusations, all true. Calls from friends. Isaac's grandmother blaming the television. And even later. The lawyer urging the boy to plead guilty. Right before entering the trial room. And now, waiting for the final meeting with the lawyer.

"Margaret, it'll all be okay somehow. It's a lot better that he plead guilty," his father's soft voice reassured both of them as he gently pried his wife from Isaac. Just then, Mr. Rod, their lawyer, gently swung open the door.

"Mr. and Mrs. Pilgrim, Isaac," the thin man in a brown suit greeted, motioning for them to enter. The three sadly rose to their feet and shuffled into the room, finding more than just the lawyer to occupy it.

"Hello again, young Mr. Pilgrim," the judge smiled at the teenager. Isaac managed to smile back, though it was clear he was not happy in the least. Two women also sat at the shiny oak table, one black-haired with a laptop open, the other blonde with several files under her arms.

Mr. Rod sat and leaned forward, folding his hands. "Now, Isaac, I know that I said before that they would take it easy on you if you plead guilty. But..." His eyes shifted their gaze to the side, considering his words. "There's been a bit of a change of plans."

_Oh shit..._ Isaac thought, bobbing his Adam's apple.

The judge put out a hand, volunteering himself to explain. "You see, son, a new program has been in development for individuals such as yourself." He stopped, awaiting a response from the boy.

"What new program?" Isaac's voice cracked. Why did this nice guy intimidate him so much?

Oh yeah. Because he decided Isaac's future.

"We believe that those with violent behaviors can be fixed. But anger management is expensive, potentially dangerous for those involved, and is highly individual. Not everyone can contain themselves by just taking a deep breath and counting to twenty."

Mr. Rod took back his stand. "Its working name is Animal Town. Here's basically what it is. A virtual village filled with animals that act as people. They walk, talk, have personalities, wear clothes, have jobs, go fishing, almost anything that you can imagine. They—along with the environment—are designed to bring out the best in people." The tall man sure seemed excited about the project.

Isaac raised an eyebrow. His mother turned skeptically to her husband, who shrugged. After a moment, Isaac peeped, "Go on."

The black-haired woman turned the laptop screen to the family to give them a look at the town in development. She zoomed in on a resident of the town, a purple sheep. Wait... Were those sunglasses?

"What happens is that you are put into long-term sleep. Your head is then hooked up to this virtual world, and it's sort of like a dream. You will be able to freely control yourself in the town. The town mostly runs itself, but occasionally you will be put up to challenges. You will have your own virtual home, that you will need to pay for. Not with real money, but with virtual money that must be earned." Mr. Rod winked.

"How is that supposed to cure me of my issues?" Isaac was interested in the idea, though it seemed unrealistic to him that being in a fantasy world full of dancing animals and sunshine and probably lollipops would make him a calmer human being.

"I already said." Mr. Rod proudly leaned back in his chair.

"For one, there are only healthy outlets of unleashing your anger," the judge offered. "The primary one being just plain talking to people. Er, animals."

Isaac looked down in thought. It was true, he never really talked to anyone about his feelings. He'd had friends, sure, but he just couldn't trust them with things so personal. And he was close to his parents, but he never wanted to worry them.

The judge continued. "Doing jobs for people acts as a distraction, and also encourages being part of a community, and providing for oneself."

"Makes sense," Isaac realized after having it explained to him. His murky green eyes turned to Mr. Rod. "Why animals?"

"Well, if we were to use humans, a face might remind you of someone. So using non-humans seemed like a natural answer. Plus, who can resist a puppy?" Mr. Rod poked the screen, which now displayed a golden dog.

"What about this sleep you mentioned?" Isaac's father questioned, more concerned about the real half of things.

Mr. Rod wasted no time. "It's completely harmless. He'll be asleep for six days at a time, and then be awake on the seventh. On the seventh day, he will be examined for any improvement, and otherwise free to exercise, see his family and friends, catch up on his favorite TV show, whatever."

A thought suddenly hit the boy. "What about school?"

Mr. Rod and the judge exchanged glances. The Southern man responded, "I'm afraid that's the least of your worries now, son."

Isaac's shoulders dropped, and he turned to his parents apologetically.

"We aren't exactly sure how long the reversal process will take, as this is still a developing project, with few subjects, none completed," the blonde woman opened a folder and slipped out a few pieces of paper. She offered one to Isaac, and one to each parent. "Here are some cases underway."

Isaac's read:

_Week one:_

_In the spoken summary, John Doe has been recorded swearing 41% less. As we spoke, he showed interest in my career. When his friend came to meet him, he did not bully him as previously witnessed, although this may be circumstantial._

_Week two:_

_John Doe accidentally knocked over a cup of pens and immediately helped clean them up. He seems a bit more expressive physically as well. His brain responds positively to pictures of animals._

_Week three:_

_John Doe asked to buy a gift for his friend. When put under pressure, he yelled, but did not show any other aggression. John's brain again responded well to pictures of animals._

_Week four:_

_Immediately after waking, John Doe began screaming in hostility about the program. In the spoken summary, he didn't do into detail about a particular bad event, though it can be said that there certainly was one._

_Week five:_

_John Doe delivered the gift to his friend, and seemed very happy about giving. In the stress test, he threw a punch, a step back from previous examinations._

"That's the earliest case," the blonde pointed to Isaac's sheet.

"The program is only five weeks old?" A confirmation was not needed.

Mr. Rod spoke somewhat tenderly. "I'm sorry to rush you, but your decision needs to be made as soon as possible. Would you like to be part of the Animal Town?"

Mr. Pilgrim took action at these words. "Excuse us," he tugged at the arms of his wife and child, and the three exited into the hall without a peep.

"So, Isaac?" the boy's father sighed. "What do you think?"

Isaac hesitated on his words. "It... sounds interesting." He remarked neutrally.

"It sounds like a positive experience," Mrs. Pilgrim said, taking the men of the house by surprise.

"Mom? I figured you'd, like, be..."

"It sounds like a video game, dear." Mr. Pilgrim said.

"I know! Don't you remember when Isaac was in sixth grade and he wrote that essay about how Pokemon taught him the values of friendship and teamwork?"

Isaac blushed a little. He almost regretted showing that essay to his parents. But golly, he sure did love Pokemon.

Mr. Pilgrim shook his head. "Margaret, this is different than just playing a game or watching a TV show. He'll be _living_ in this world. I don't think it's healthy to feed his brain nonsense like talking animals. Not because they're talking animals, but because he'll have to talk _back_."

"But dad, I'd still know that they aren't real. I'm not a little kid that falls for stuff like that."

"It does seem corrective," Mrs. Pilgrim nudged.

Mr. Pilgrim snapped back. "There's nothing wrong with our son!"

Isaac gulped, staring wide-eyed at his father.

"John." The boy's mother stopped, then replied calmly. "Obviously there is."

Isaac, surprisingly, did not feel hurt at the words. He instead continued watching his father, who moved his head in no particular pattern, soaking in the reality of the situation.

"Isaac," the man finally said, voice free of anger. "If you do this, we'll hardly get to see you. Your friends will hardly get to see you."

"Honey..." Isaac's mom stepped towards her sixteen-year old, her only child, and held his hand.

Isaac's green eyes traced the tiles on the floor. _A virtual world. _He thought. It sounded like fun, though a bit kiddish. It's true, he would only be able to see his parents one day a week. His friends... Well, after what he had done, he didn't expect to see them anymore anyway.

He weighed in silence pros and cons. In the Animal Town, the animals wouldn't know about Isaac's past unless he told them. He could have a fresh start and live leisurely. He could spend his whole day fishing or running an errand for a friend. It did sound nice. His main concern was his parents. They would miss him. He would miss them, too. But he would still get to see them, and over time they would all adjust. Isaac truly wanted a fresh start. He felt his lips pull back and his eyes water.

"Honey...?" his mother asked tenderly.

The teenager pulled away from his mother's hand, clenched his fists, and opened the door. His parents followed hurriedly, like baby ducks.

The judge and the lawyer met Isaac's green eyes. In them was not sadness, as his father and mother had witnessed. Instead, a determination burned.

"I'll do it."


	2. The Arrival

A/N: Thanks for the pleasant reviews! 3 Yes, I did think it was an interesting but surprisingly appropriate twist. Now that I know someone has read it and liked it, it's time for chapter 2!

Chapter 2's taken longer than I expected to churn out... But it's much longer than chapter 1 was. I have more excuses, but I don't think you care to hear them—after all, you're here for the story, right?

I just recently got City Folk, so expect more references to it in future chapters.

Oh, and I forgot to mention in chapter 1: I don't own Animal Crossing, Nintendo, or any of that biz. I think it pretty much goes without saying, but I guess better safe than sorry.

Chapter II: The Arrival

Isaac stepped tentatively into the bright, sterile room. There were narrow windows near the ceiling on one side, but most of the light poured harshly from fluorescent hangings. The only room whiter than this he had seen was on television.

"Have a seat." The short, blonde man reviewed some things on his clipboard, paying little attention to the teenager.

Mr. Rod had introduced him to about half a dozen new people today, all of which ran the lab. The blonde's name, just like all the others', escaped him.

"We'll have to get a fan in here..." the lab worker remarked nonchalantly, wiping his forehead on his white sleeve.

_Are the latex gloves even necessary?_ Isaac wondered, somewhat sorely. _I don't think they have to worry about anything getting contaminated. It's not a doctor's office._

Yet, the room did look very similar to a doctor's office. Even the bed was thin, brown, and uncomfortable.

"Okay, I have to share the equipment with you before we begin." The blonde man summoned one of his assistants to, well, assist him. Together, they tugged at something at the head of the bed. It was a drawer of some kind, made of steel. The assistant opened two flaps from the top of the revealed metal.

"These," the blonde man, whose ID only said 'Reese', pointed to some strange metal coils. "Are the adapters. You see, there are these little needles at the end, and those will be placed to the side of your eyes. They'll just barely touch the corneas, and will display the picture of the Animal Town into your brain."

"This is the room I'll be sleeping in?"

"Yep." Reese muttered quickly and pulled up the coils, revealing a circuit board. "And this is where the magic happens. This is what takes you to the Animal Town. It will also monitor your vitals just in case anything were to suddenly go wrong." He pulled up some electrodes attached to the device.

"What if the power goes out or something?"

Reese chuckled. "A lot of people ask that. Don't worry, we have a generator, so if it does, nothing will happen."

Isaac felt sort of stupid, but did not comment. To disguise any feelings, he watched the assistant click some things on the circuit board.

"And this mask will feed you a sleeping gas to put you to sleep, and then every hour, some oxygen to make sure your breathing is regular. Any questions?"

Isaac couldn't think of one right away, and since the scientist didn't seem enthusiastic about answering anything, he shook his head. He assumed he could figure out most things on his own, anyway.

"Okay. Now lay back here." His gloved hand patted the bed, and Isaac obeyed. "Are you very sensitive to pain? Specifically your eyes?"

The boy shook his head again as the man slipped the mask around his head.

"Okay. It shouldn't hurt too much, but let me know if it's really bad, okay?" Reese now seemed interested in his work. Not a people person, Isaac guessed, but a skilled scientist. "Now close your eyes."

Isaac let out a breath and let his lids fall. He imagined his parents' faces, and hoped the six days would be over soon. Who knew how they would go? Isaac knew that if they were awesome or miserable, he'd want to let his parents know.

He suddenly felt a prick in his right eye. Not painful, but it did take him by surprise. The boy cleared his thoughts and braced himself for the left eye. Expecting it, he barely felt the poke.

The juvenile heard the blonde's voice again. "Good night, Isaac."

* * *

When Isaac first opened his eyes, he felt no different. Indeed, controlling his body was natural. But what he saw was not.

He was somehow on a train. Pine trees were blurs outside the windows as the train zoomed past. A boar in a dress snoozed a few seats by. Although Isaac had been expecting stuff like this, he couldn't help staring at the hog-woman.

"Hey, you mind if I sit here?" A cat's blue and white face peeped into the teenager's line of sight.

"Uh-..." Isaac stumbled over words. "Yeah, sure..." His eyes peered about awkwardly as the walking cat plopped himself down across from the human.

"So, I haven't seen you around before, and I've done a lot of traveling. Say, what's your name?" The creature purred.

"Isaac."

"Mweorharhar! That's a funny name!"

Why was this... _thing_ laughing? Isaac tensed angrily, but said nothing.

"Oh, oh. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean that. My name's Rover. So... Where are you headed?"

The boy's green eyes crept back to the cat's face. He shook his head. "I'm not really sure."

Rover's eyes widened, and the boy could see they were red, matching the sweater the feline wore. "Oh... Well, the next stop is Cocono. Are you moving or something?"

"I guess you could say that," Isaac responded meekly.

"You seem down. Aren't you excited?" Before the human could answer, Rover got another idea. "Don't tell me... you have no money?"

This creature was sure asking a lot of questions. Isaac looked directly at the cat and nodded slowly. It was true, after all. He was broke.

Rover's eyebrows lowered, sad at his correct assumption. "Hey, you know what? A buddy of mine runs the shop in Cocono. Wait here a sec." He picked himself up and went through a door. ...Was that a cell phone? Isaac didn't even have a cell phone. He felt a small pout within himself, then shook off the thought. He needed this time to soak things in.

Okay, it was weird having an animal talk. It was weird to have an animal wear clothes and clearly show emotion. It wasn't like seeing a worried or excited expression in a dog's eyes; it was far more obvious and widespread. It was weird having an animal make an assumption about someone of a different species they had never met and be correct. But this cat seemed pretty nice. He was apparently trying to help Isaac out, at least. Mr. Rod had explained that Animal Town is designed to bring out the best in people... Isaac guessed that meant everyone was nice.

"Good news!" Rover returned, sitting himself down. "My buddy can get you a house in Cocono. They aren't spacious or anything, but I'm sure you'll do fine. Cheap, too!" The cat smiled, revealing pearly white fangs.

Isaac nodded, eyes focused on the cat's teeth. Nonetheless, he found himself smiling a little. Maybe things would be alright in this virtual world. "Cool."

"Oh! His name is Tom Nook, he'll meet you at the gate."

"Cool. Thanks a lot, Rover." Isaac hesitated at the name. He was talking to a cat. Granted, a helpful cat that also talked, and seemed to know more about this place than Isaac did.

A voice was heard on the intercom. "Now arriving in Cocono! All passengers please remain seated until the train has reached a complete stop."

Isaac peeked out the window. The train was already very slow, almost stopped. Must have been a smooth ride; he hadn't even felt it slow down. Or maybe the boy was just busy absorbing everything.

"Hey, take care of yourself." Rover placed a paw on the human's shoulder. "I hope to see you again soon, Isaac!"

Isaac gave a polite smile and nodded his head. He wouldn't mind seeing Rover again, but still felt uncomfortable talking to creatures that don't normally walk, talk, and have possessions.

As he stepped through the door and met wilderness, the boy wasn't sure this was right. Yes, there was clearly a station here, but... Where were the roads? Where were the people waiting to get on the train? All he saw around was grass, trees, and a raccoon in an apron, who rushed to greet the newcomer.

"Ah, you must be Isaac," the raccoon grabbed the human's hand and shook it excitedly with both of his clawed paws.

"Uh, hello. Tom Nook, right?"

"Yes, yes! I assume you want to see your selection of houses right away, yes? Come with me."

The human looked from side to side as he walked, observing how all the trees looked nearly identical. He saw red glints on a few of the trees, but he could not discern from his distance what they were.

"Here we are!" Tom Nook announced, outstretching his small arms. "These four are all available. Just pick which you like best and I'll do the necessary paperwork for you."

From the front, each of the houses looked identical, with the exception of the color of roofing. Isaac looked between them, shrugged, and entered a random one. Upon entering, the boy was not pleased by what he saw. The room was spacious... if you were a Hobbit. Small was an understatement; the space was infinitesimal. The floor was made of steel, with steel walls that didn't even match. A wooden box sat in the corner, supporting a journal, and the adjacent corner held a tape deck. _Heh, a tape deck_, he thought in a failed attempt to bring comic relief to the disappointing scene. With a sigh, Isaac turned and closed the door behind him, dragging his eyes up to meet the raccoon's.

"Well, what did you think?"

"It's, uh..." the boy struggled for kind words. He decided instead to be honest, but not _too_ honest. "Pretty small."

"Yes, well, it certainly is quite... cozy. Well, feel free to look at the others, though I can't say they're much different."

The human's pink lips twitched indecisively. Well... he did need a place to stay. He was going to be living in this world for six days of each week.

After peeking inside each house, he decided on the one with wooden flooring and walls, figuring that would be the most insulated.

"Alright, then! Now, let me talk to you about your house. You will have to furnish the place yourself. Your neighbors will be willing to help you with this, and I sell furniture at my shop as well."

Isaac nodded, wondering where his neighbors were, and what they were like. Probably overly friendly and happy, like Rover.

"And now for the subject of payment... It all comes to 19,800 Bells."

The teenager tensed. He was completely broke.

"Is something wrong?" Tom Nook stared at his new patron, confused and concerned.

Isaac reached into his pockets, hoping for some miracle, and lo and behold, he discovered a small bag in a pocket by his butt. He withdrew it and handed it to the masked creature, not knowing what else to do.

"Ah, yes, that's-..." he stopped. Isaac shifted his weight uncomfortably, knowing something was still wrong. "This... There's only 1,000 Bells here!" the raccoon did a disbelieving dance of panic.

Isaac shrugged helplessly and looked down, feeling sorry. Mind you, sorry not just for his new landlord, but also for himself.

"Is this... all you have?" Nook asked sympathetically.

The boy nodded slowly.

Nook quickly got an idea. "Isaac... You need to pay off your house, yes? And I could use some help around my shop. How about you come work for me to help pay off your debt?"

Debt. That word made him feel even worse about the situation. He looked the animal in the eye, trying to hide shame. "Yes!" he blurted. "I'll help you with anything you need."

"Excellent!" as he smiled, Nook's dark whiskers perked up. "Once you get settled in, come by my shop. It's in acre A-1. Oh! You don't know your way around, do you? Ho ho!" He stuck a paw behind his back and magically withdrew a piece of folded paper. "Take this map."

Isaac nodded thankfully and opened the sheet. Houses were marked where residents lived, as well as some other locations, such as the wishing well and the museum.

"I'll be waiting!" the raccoon said cheerfully as he gave a quick wave and wandered off.

_He didn't seem too upset that I only had 1,000 bongs. ...Bongs? That can't be right._ Isaac struggled for the name of the currency used here, then discarded the thought.

He saw no reason to get "settled in" to his new place of residence. It wasn't like he had luggage or anything. The boy set his destination as acre A-1, and decided he would explore on his way there. After all, Tom Nook didn't seem to be in any hurry to have him there.

Isaac stepped towards the west. He spotted a tree that bore red, and would soon discover what berries were native. The boy stepped lightly, as he always did. The ground was unusually flat for being as soft as it was. As he stepped under the shadow of the red-dappled tree, he breathed in relief. Summer was hot. Like, _hot_. Just by looking, he still could not identify exactly what grew. He reached up, attempting to pluck a few off, but was just short of success. The boy let out a soft groan, then thought of a new approach. He grabbed the trunk of the tree with both hands and gave it a shake. Sure enough, several red spheres dropped to the ground. Isaac squatted down and picked up a few. "Cherries?" He popped one into his mouth. "Cherries."

"Hahaha!"

The boy turned to the laughter, observing a yellow elephant kick a ball some forty feet away.

_Yellow... elephant..._? He failed to wrap his head around the concept. Rover and Tom Nook were strange enough to encounter, but at least they were natural colors. Well, okay, _more_ natural. He chose to continue his walk before he was spotted. He had a job to get done anyway.

Just as he stepped in the opposite direction of the new, weird creature, he came to a river. It was small, impossibly blue, and steady. He leaned in and spotted his reflection.

He looked significantly different. His head was large and round, reminding the boy that this was a virtual world. Surely in reality he would fall over with this huge, dumb head. He had large, round, dark eyes that mesmerized himself because of how perfectly shaped they were. His long hair was now shortened, with bangs that zigzagged along his forehead. He was thankful that it remained the same color, dark brown. His shirt was white with blue stripes at the middle, and he felt pretty neutral about it.

"Um, excuse me?" The voice from behind him was feminine.

Isaac felt a twinge of annoyance, but then remembered that so far everyone had been nice, and this world was supposed to "bring out the best in people". He turned, meeting two faces.

"You're a new face! I'm Eloise. Isn't it such a cute name, tooot?" The elephant smiled at the human boy, eyes closing, clearly showing perfect eyelashes.

The other character was a... mouse? Rat? Isaac couldn't tell, what with the she-rodent being of human proportions. She was snow white, with a cute, dark nose and tiny blush marks on her cheeks. "Welcome to Cocono, squeaky! My name is Dora. What's your name?"

"Oh, uh... Isaac." He turned an eye over his shoulder, the river's edge less than a stubby arm's length away. With these two girls cornering him, he felt crowded. But of course he wouldn't say so; he was a stranger to this new, happy environment.

"Hello, Isaac!" the elephant chimed. "How are you liking Cocono?"

"Uh, it's hard to say so far. I've only been here fifteen minutes." _Wait, these two are friends? I thought mice frightened elephants. Even the Mythbusters proved it!_

"Well don't be afraid to ask us anything, tooot. We can tell you just about anything you'd like to know about the place. Dora's lived here the longest, haven't you?" Eloise turned her attention to her white-furred companion.

Dora blushed slightly. She felt so old hearing that. "Just about, I guess."

Isaac shifted his weight between feet. "Thanks, ladies. I should really get to Tom Nook's shop, though. I'll, uh... see you around." He rotated his body, and Eloise politely nodded and turned as well.

"Hey, Isaac. Here's a housewarming gift. It isn't much, but it should give your home some flair." With tiny paws, she handed the human a pink gift box.

Fortunately, Isaac was the kind of person that easily accepted gifts. He figured that a gift is given only if the giver truly wants to give, and he didn't argue. "Thanks, Dora."

"I hope Cocono treats you well, squeaky. Goodbye, Isaac."

The boy observed the pink box as the creature followed her large yellow friend. He pried open the lid, and found a strange leaf. Greatly confused and disappointed, he closed the lid.

Then, he stood. Just stood and looked around. It was quiet. He could hear the ocean. They were by the sea? Must be. He watched as birds and dragonflies passed by. He closed his eyes when a cool, soothing breeze swept onto his face. Isaac realized just how different this place was from home. He didn't live in a particularly noisy area, and there was still plenty of green in his neighborhood, but not like this. Here, everything was open, fresh. Here, the forest was the city. It was peaceful.

Isaac slowly broke a smile.

* * *

Upon finding the building, Isaac was immediately sure that he had the wrong place. The walls were made of crumbling wood, and the roof looked as if it would slide off any second. Not to mention it couldn't have been any bigger than Isaac's new house. The sign told the horrible truth, though. It read, very clearly, though hand-written: Nook's Cranny. With a sigh, Isaac stepped inside.

"Ah, there you are! I trust you've gotten somewhat more acquainted with Cocono, yes?" Nook caught glimpse of the pink box under the human's arm, but didn't inquire about it.

The place was pitiful inside as well. Everything was made of wood, and the selection was small. A spiderweb adorned a corner by the back. It all made the human unsure that this was the guy he wanted as a landlord.

"Oh, yes, sir." After a moment, Isaac realized that he could ask Tom Nook about this strange gift. "Uh, Mr. Nook?"

"Please, just Tom Nook or Nook. Or Dashing Gentleman, ho ho!"

Isaac smiled, but couldn't bring himself to laugh. "Nook, what do you know about Dora?"

"Dora? Well, she's very kind and thoughtful, and gets along with most everyone..."

"Well, I mean, uh... She gave me this weird leaf. I was wondering if it had..." the teenager trailed off, stopped by the raccoon's raucous laughter.

"Ho ho! Oh, oh my sides... ho! Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I'm afraid you don't know much about this place."

Isaac remained quiet, feeling angry and belittled.

"Here." The masked creature stepped forward, opened the box, and withdrew the leaf. "Furniture takes the form of leaves for convenience. If you lay the leaf down..." he demonstrated. "Then the actual object will appear."

A chair, red and cream, with a detailed back piece, appeared. "This is an exotic chair. I just had one in stock last week, in fact."

Isaac was bewildered by the technology. Technology? He had trouble telling himself that a leaf was any kind of abstruse device. "Can I turn it back?"

"Very easily." The raccoon placed his paws on the chair. "Just think about it and pull up." He made the chair poof back into a small green flag.

"Just think?" This was insane.

"That's it, my boy! In fact, here." Tom Nook scrambled behind the counter and returned, holding a pink and white striped shirt. "Clothing works in a very similar manner. Take this and envision yourself wearing it."

Isaac stepped back to keep his balance as the raccoon pushed the cotton garment into his arms. "But I don't know what it looks like."

"It doesn't matter."

The boy mentally groaned, physically rolled his eyes, but cooperated. He thought about wearing the shirt, and all the sudden, golden sparkles encircled himself and the clothing.

"It worked..." he blinked at the greenish material on his body and pulled at it as if expecting more to happen.

"Quite simple, yes? Now, that will be your uniform. For the time you work here, you be sure to wear that. Advertising, hm? Now, for your first task... Well, hm. I suppose it might be hard for you to do deliveries and such if you don't know the townsfolk. Why don't you go introduce yourself to everyone around Cocono, hm? Don't forget the mayor! He's usually around the town hall. Go on, then."

Isaac wouldn't have been able to protest if he wanted. Tom Nook spoke so quickly and his brisk decisions sounded so final that it wouldn't have mattered. Still, the boy exited the tiny cranny without a word and spread his map flat against the wooden wall. He used his finger to trace along the acres, plotting out a route for the unknown.

The teen headed south, with a house in the next acre, labeled "Murphy". He didn't have to walk far; he quickly spotted a green bear watching a grasshopper of some kind.

"Um... hello." Isaac greeted feebly.

"Hm? Oh, hi, laddie." The bear wore a friendly smile, but his words were void of friendliness. "You must be the new kid. Name's Murphy."

"I'm Isaac." The boy extended a polite hand, but was promptly ignored. He moved his extended hand and rubbed his arm nervously.

"Well just don't get on my nerves and you should survive in this town, laddie."

"O-okay... Uh. I'll be seeing you around, then." Isaac gave a brief wave and quickly moved on. It was clear that Murphy didn't care to have him around, and Isaac didn't care to try to change that fact.

One acre to the east was where Eloise lived, but Isaac had already met her, so he skipped that house and moved straight across the bridge. He passed the his own house, and then came face to face with a purple sheep. Wearing sunglasses. The same one he'd seen in the "sneak-peek" of Animal Town. This reminded him that he was not insane, and that this was all fake. He was both comforted and annoyed by this reminder.

"Oh, hey, biz-aaa! You're new around here, aren't you?"

"Uh, yeah. My name's Isaac." The human's eyes remained still on the green star that decorated the sheep's left cheek. This was probably the most interesting-looking creatures he'd seen yet.

"Cool, cool! I'm Woolio! Hey, you like to work out, biz-aaa?"

"Yeah. I mean, I do a lot of swimming and I like soccer and stuff..."

"Right on, man! Hey, right now there's morning exercises going on every day. You should join me sometime!" The ram fist-pumped. What.

"Okay. What time?"

"Uh, a little early... 6 a.m... But totally worth it, biz-aaa! You'll be energized all day!"

Isaac winced for a moment, but then considered. "That sounds good. Give me some time to settle in first, though."

"Sure, biz-aaa. I'll catch you later!"

"See ya, Woolio."

The boy continued continued a couple acres down to meet a slope. A much steeper slope than he expected. He walked down it slowly, his ankles feeling weird. Two more acres down, he came to two houses, close to the beach. One belonged to Dora, who was talking to a golden dog, which he also recognized from the previews of Animal Town.

"Oh, that's him!" the mouse grinned.

Knowing he was already being talked about, Isaac shifted awkwardly. Was what was said good or bad or true or false? Shyly, uncomfortably, he waved a hand.

"Hello, woof! I'm Goldie. Dora was saying that she gave you the exotic chair she just bought last week!"

"Oh, it was nothing." The mouse commented to both of them. "It really didn't go with my house as well as I thought it would."

"Well I appreciate it. Really." These two seemed like the most normal villagers; they put Isaac at ease.

"That shirt..." Goldie noticed. "Have you already gotten a job, woof? That's impressive!"

Isaac was no longer at ease. "Oh. Well, see..." He rubbed his arm, embarrassed. "Tom Nook gave me a house to sleep in, but I had no money..."

The dog gasped as the mouse put a tiny paw over her mouth.

"It's okay, I'm just working to pay some of it off. I got lucky, I guess."

"I see." The retriever left it at that, not wanting to pry into the stranger's life.

"If you need any help, squeaky, please let us know. We will help." Dora put a gentle paw on the human's hand as her friend nodded in irrevocable agreement.

Isaac froze up, staring straight into the mouse's dark, beady eyes. He was unaware of the dumbfounded look he wore on his face as he turned to see the dog's same concerned expression. He broke a genuine smile. "Thank you."

Then it was quiet for a few seconds, and Isaac chose to be the one to break the silence. "Well, I still need to meet the rest of the villagers. I'll see you around." He stepped away, tentatively, and left before they showed more alluring kindness.

The boy continued on in a sort of daze. He again had to take in where he was. He was in a little village filled with animals. He had a little house and worked for a raccoon to keep that house. He'd met a freakishly friendly cat, a grumpy green bear, and a somewhat snooty yellow elephant, among others. Here, furniture turned into magical leaves. Here, he was the only one that didn't have some strange catchphrase. Here, Isaac was going to spend six-sevenths of his next several months, maybe years.

"You okay, snork?"

Snapping up from his trance, the boy was met with a brown snout. "You looked pretty out of it."

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to get used to this place."

"Ohh, so you're the new guy! Name's Spork." The pig extended a hoof, which Isaac accepted. Gratefully, after Murphy's indifferent response to his own hand.

"Isaac."

"Hey, have you met everyone yet? I know Cocono well, and I can show you around if you'd like."

Isaac flipped out his map, double checking to see if he'd said hello to everyone. "Nah, I've already- Oh. I still need to greet the mayor."

Spork didn't need any further convincing. "Come with me, snork!"

The town hall was at the complete opposite side of town—up the slope, across the river, and past Isaac's new house. Though the distance was far (for such a small town, at least), time went quickly as the two walked and chatted about the town.

"Sometimes, a present tied to a balloon will float through the air and get caught in a tree. I found one once—inside was an orange!"

That didn't seem too remarkable to Isaac. Spork seemed to pick up on his opinion.

"Only cherries grow in Cocono, so when another fruit comes along, it's very precious. Oh, and it was soooo delicious, snork! They say a mysterious man releases the presents, and that only the happiest of hearts get to open them... I guess that means I'm pretty special!"

Sounded like a bunch of bullshit to Isaac. Someone trying to do a random act of kindness, maybe, but nothing mysterious or magical about it.

"Here we are! This is the town hall," the pig announced, spreading a hoof to the building as if he were on some game show.

"Thanks." The boy was just about ready to say goodbye, but noticed that his companion was not. "Uh. Are you coming in?"

The creature thought for a moment. "I probably should. The mayor isn't around all the time; usually just for events and holidays and stuff. It'd be nice of me to say hi." The pig grinned a friendly, Rover-like grin.

Isaac nodded, appreciating the pig's considerate approach, stepped forward, and cracked open the door.

Inside was bigger than Isaac honestly expected, having only seen small buildings until this point. It was well-lit, and looked surprisingly official. Oak panels, flooring, and furniture decorated much of the premise. Only one worker, a cute, happy pelican, stood behind the counter. A half-asleep tortoise stood in front of the counter, and jerked his head up to look at the newcomers.

"Hello, Mr. Tortimer!" Spork strolled inside. "Hello, Pelly!"

"Oh, hi there, Spork! How are things?"

"Good, Mr. Tortimer!"

"Uhm..." Isaac inched towards the wrinkled creature. "Hello, Mr. Mayor. Tortimer. Sir."

"Eh?" the reptile blinked and inspected the boy carefully. He carved a semi-circle around him, then said skeptically, "Who are you?"

The pelican peeped. "Mr. Mayor, this is Isaac. He just moved into Cocono."

The boy looked for a moment in surprise at the big-billed bird, then remembered that this is a small town, and news traveled quickly. He redirected his attention to the senile old tortoise.

"Is that so?"

Spork gave a quick pat on Isaac's back. "He's already met all the townspeople. He's pretty cool himself, snork."

Isaac gave a soft laugh as the pig poked the human with his elbow.

"Oh! Welcome to Cocono, Zack!"

"Uhm. _I_saac, sir."

"Right, right!" The tortoise beamed, apparently unknowing. His face then grew stern. "Now. Tell me. Who do you respect most? The shopkeeper, mayor, mail clerk, or police officer?"

What is this, an aptitude test or something? The boy turned helplessly, confused, to Spork, who gave a not-so subtle point to Tortimer. Behind him, Pelly also motioned towards the reptile, albeit rather more skillfully.

"The mayor?" Isaac's lingering surprise led him to answer with a question mark.

Silence hung like a spider in the air. The worn, baggy eyes of the mayor were transfixed on Isaac, caging him in place.

"Ahahahorf! I like you! You're one smart cookie!"

Though he was somewhat relieved, Isaac couldn't help but feel like a little kid. It was so _obvious_ that Spork urged him to answer in the human's favor. Would this senile old coot believe anything? Who voted for this guy? How long as he been representing Cocono? Come to think of it... What exactly did Cocono need representing for? This virtual world...? Isaac cast off the thoughts. Maybe there were some things he just would be happier not knowing.


End file.
